- Hampton School Boat Club
Infobox Rowing Club
ClubName = Hampton School Boat Club
Clubhouse
BladeColour
Emblem =
Location = Hampton
Coordinates = coord|51|24|35|N|0|22|30|W|scale:2000_region:GB|display=title,inline|name=Hampton School Boat Club
Founded = 1956
Motto =
Membership =
HomeWate =Molesey Lock
Website =
Affiliations = ARA
Events = Hampton Small Boats Head, Hampton Fours and Eights Head
Distinctions =
NotableMembers =Greg Searle ,Jonny Searle Hampton School Boat Club is the rowing club of
Hampton School . Each year the club produces 1st VIIIs that compete at Championship level in theUnited Kingdom . The club hosts twoHead race events each year. The club was founded in 1956 and has its own boat house on theRiver Thames on the reach aboveMolesey Lock .Boathouse
For many years HSBC was based at
Molesey Boat Club , on theRiver Thames nearHampton Court Palace . In 2000 the club'sMillennium Boathouse was opened a few kilometres upstream close to the upstream end ofPlatts Eyot .The land it was built on was originally owned by
Thames Water and construction of the boathouse was a joint project with theLady Eleanor Holles School Boat Club. In 2000 the boathouse was opened bySir Steve Redgrave and Dr Ann Redgrave.Rowing at Hampton
Rowing at Hampton School is open to boys in the third year and above, and is split into three sections:
J14s
Third year rowers. Hampton schoolboys can join the boat club from the third year onwards. In the J14 year boys learn to scull and the emphasis is on training to improve technique, flexibility and fitness rather than competing. One week in Easter is spent as a training camp at the Millennium boathouse. During the year, the rowers showing the most promise are selected in crews for Hampton School's own rowing competition Hampton Head as well as various other events including
Peterborough regatta and theNational rowing championships . Despite the large budget that HSBC has at its disposal, the J14 squad is unique in the country in still using wooden blades made by J. Sutton.J15s
Fourth year rowers. In the J15 year boys begin learning sweep-oar rowing and selection begins for J15 'A', 'B' and 'C' eights. This year is aimed as preparation for rowing in the 'A' squad, and the crews will compete at many of the same races as the 'A' squad, with the main competitions being the Schools' Head Of the River Race and the National Schools' Regatta.
The 'A' squad
Fifth and sixth form rowers. The 'A' squad is made up of the oldest rowers in the school and is the squad from which the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th VIIIs are selected. The 'A' squad travel to many
head race s andregatta s throughout the year including theArmada Cup inSwitzerland , theSchools' Head Of the River Race and theNational Schools' Regatta . The 1st VIII will also compete in the prestigiousPrincess Elizabeth Challenge Cup atHenley Royal Regatta , and the 2nd VIII will sometimes attempt to qualify for theTemple Challenge Cup .International representations
In addition to racing in the school eights, the top 'A' squad rowers each year compete at
Great Britain trials to try and represent their country at the following events:
*Munich International Regatta
*Home Countries International Regatta
*Coupe de la Jeunesse
*Junior World Rowing Championships Hampton has been represented at every Junior World Rowing Championships since the event's creation other than 2007.
Hampton Head
The boat club hosts two rowing events each year in the
head race season; Hampton Small Boats Head; and Hampton Fours and Eights Head.Each race is over the same distance of roughly 2.5km, raced downstream from just below
Sunbury Lock to the finish, roughly 50metres downstream ofPlatts Eyot .At each event competitors and spectators are invited to Molesey Boat Club after the races for teas and cakes before the prize-giving.
uccesses
Hampton has produced three
treble winning 1st VIIIs in its history. In 2004 Hampton won 1st, 2nd and 3rd VIIIs at the Schools' Head of the River Race.Many rowers from Hampton have also gone on to compete at higher levels and in recent years Hamptonians have consistently competed for Oxford and Cambridge in the
the Boat Race ; in 2003 two sets of Hamptonian brothers (James and David Livingston, Matthew and Ben Smith) competed.Two of Hampton's most successful rowers are undoubtedly brothers
Jonny Searle andGreg Searle who went on to win the gold medal (together with cox Garry Herbert) in the coxed pair in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.In 2007, the J15 'A' Crew (under the control of N. Double) narrowly won the final of the National Schools Regatta, the first time for over 9 years, half a second over
Latymer Upper School .ee also
*
Rowing on the River Thames
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